Spring Flowers

I suspect - perhaps "hope" is the better word - this post will be updated many times as flowers appear on the cultivated and indigenous plants around our block.  At present we have an excellent show of wattles (Acacia spp) and daffodils which were photographed last month.

The first of the cultivated trees have burst into flower.  The least commonly photographed are the elm trees: when examined closely these are rather interestingly shaped flowers.

Larger flowers, but on smaller trees, are offered by the Camellias.

The most spectacular flowers at the moment are two Prunus trees.  Here is a close up, although their true contribution to the garden is best seen in a long shot.

Some different daffodils are also joining in.

Moving in to the area of indigenous plants I will start by noting that unlike the Shoalhaven Valley the native orchids in Carwoola are remaining resolute in their absence.  Perhaps later in the month!

I did find one forlorn mistletoe flower.  I believe this to be Ameyena pendula, which flowers through Winter.

Although orchids are not yet available there is a very strong showing of Hovea this year.  I had thought the local species was H. linearis, but have been advised it is actually H. heterophylla (although as always the publication requirements of academic taxonomists require that the lump-split cycle is never ending).  In the case of this species I was very excited when I found what I thought was another species of Hovea due to having a much more ovate leaf shape.  On consulting texts it emerged that the lower leaves on H. heterophylla (which translates as "different leaves" - very appropriate) are ovate while the upper ones are lineate.  I managed to get a picture of the 2 forms: